Education

Preview: Riverhead and SWR school boards meet tonight

FILE PHOTO | Riverhead superintendent Nancy Carney, left, and Shoreham-Wading River Superintendent Steven Cohen.

The Shoreham-Wading River school board will discuss updated plans for a proposition to improve district technology and make repairs to the high school track, as well as talk about how to add a voter-approved student member to the board at their meeting tonight, Tuesday.

The Riverhead school board will also hold a meeting Tuesday night to approve the board’s official goals for the 2012-13 school year, according to a meeting agenda.

The Shoreham-Wading River proposition would allow the district to spend more than $1.6 million in reserve funds to pay for upgraded computers, wireless internet connections, and laptops needed to comply with upcoming state testing regulations.

According to a June presentation, 77 percent of district computers are more than five years old, and run obsolete versions of Windows like Windows 95 or Windows XP. These operating systems are too old to be compatible with the latest teaching software, officials said.

The proposition would also pay for resurfacing and repairs at the cracked high school track. Both school officials and high school track team members have said county racing officials may not allow future track meets at the school if the repairs aren’t made.

Taxes would not be raised if the proposition is approved by voters on Oct. 2 because the funds will be pulled from district reserves.

The board will also discuss adding a non-voting member to its ranks. The proposition to add the position was approved by voters this spring.

The student board member will be a high school senior and will not be privy to executive sessions, or be able to vote in board decisions; the student board member can share student concerns to the board.

The meeting at Shoreham Wading River will be held at 8 p.m. in the Shoreham-Wading River High School Library.

The Riverhead school board will implement a series of goals for the upcoming school year at its meeting Tuesday night.

The board is planning to create a budget that will “provide adequate resources to maintain programs while keeping in mind taxpayers’ ability to pay” as well as look into cost-saving measures such as sharing services and “energy-efficient programs,” according to the meeting agenda.

The goals also include improving district test scores, and monitoring the construction work on the $78.3 million school bond approved by district voters last October.

The Riverhead school board meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the Riverhead High School cafeteria.

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